What are yor rates ?

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I'm fairly new to this site, but definitely not new to welding. Noticing how many members this site has, and that everyone seems spread out, I was wondering what rates people charge in different parts of the country. This question is mainly to the guys that have there own company or business. How much do you charge for field work and or shop work? Nationwide, costs are generally in the same ballpark. Living expenses on the other hand vary a great deal. Do you prefer to work in the shop, or in the field? How much of a wage do you pay yourself ? Is it an hourly wage, or a percentage of what the business made?I'm not tryin' to be nosey. Just curious as to the differences.Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. Colossians 3:23
Reply:Originally Posted by BAR BAR 2I'm fairly new to this site, but definitely not new to welding. Noticing how many members this site has, and that everyone seems spread out, I was wondering what rates people charge in different parts of the country. This question is mainly to the guys that have there own company or business. How much do you charge for field work and or shop work? Nationwide, costs are generally in the same ballpark. Living expenses on the other hand vary a great deal. Do you prefer to work in the shop, or in the field? How much of a wage do you pay yourself ? Is it an hourly wage, or a percentage of what the business made?I'm not tryin' to be nosey. Just curious as to the differences.
Reply:From my experience working allover, and I mean that literally, consumables and equipment is "usually" in the same neighborhood wherever a person goes. There are exceptions though. I've priced welders in Texas and then ended up giving the same $$ for it in Michigan. Anyhow, fuel is a big cost here. Eventhough the cheapest fuel in the nation lastweek was in Casper, Wy., as a general rule Wy is famous for having the highest fuel costs in this region. Our taxes are lower though.Here most shops get anywhere from $65 on up to $90 per hour. A lot of it depends on where you are working. The mines pay about $90, but they require a lot of ins.Eventhough housing is outragous, this is still a good place to be a welder. We have coal, oil and gas here and that keeps a guy busy.Last edited by BAR BAR 2; 05-08-2011 at 02:58 PM.Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. Colossians 3:23
Reply:Consumables and equipment are a fraction of the cost of a biz.insurance-workman's comp., gen./product/special liability; fire/flood, vehicle, etc. are a big chunktaxes-business personal property, income, real estate, licences/fees/extortionary itemsFixed costs--exist regardless of biz volumeVariable costs-increase with biz volume        It's important to realize and track the differences in the two above.I'm semi-retired, no employees and do only certain work. When I had employees and was growing,it's a real scramble to crack the nut.Blackbird
Reply:Dave is right on about CA.   Stupid govt there has to duplicate everything and charge you for it.  Why the heck is an AWS certification good for the entire country except Los Angeles that has the LA City welding cert required to work in their city???? they are like this for all kinds of licenses too.   even personal expenses are 3 to 4 times many other parts of the country.  plan to pay 2-3 times more for your car insurance and car registrations, Property taxes (my annual mortgage payment is less than some friends annual property tax bill in CA)  etc... Having lived there for 20 + years and the last 9 in Colorado I can tell you the differences are huge.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:And people wonder why I refuse to go to California, it is only because I HAVE been there.
Reply:Oh and rates, 60.00 an hour in the shop, half hour minimum, 75.00 an hour mobile 3 hour minimum. anything over 50 miles will be charged 1.00 a mile coming and going.
Reply:Here in central Ks I charge $65hr on the truck and $60hr shop.  I'm gonna be getting my 2mil liability ins pretty soon, so with that I'll be able to charge $75hr, justified as the ins costs about a grand a month.  I have no employees yet, nor any foreseeable plans to employ anyone, and I only pay myself enough to cover my mortgage and personal pickup payment.  Luckily my wife is a RN and can help with other bills, so I can leave as much as possible in the biz for taxes, ins, equipment, consumables, etc.  I've been in business for a couple months and have invoiced about $20k, so I'm not doin to shabby I don't think.  Can easily pay bills and getting ready to buy a new portable welderIn the field: '06 Ram 3500/Miller PP350    '14 F-350/Lincoln Classic 300DIn the shop: MM252, Hypertherm PM-85, White face MM200
Reply:$65/hr, 3hr min, emergency service $120/Hr, you call after a "reasonable" hour at night, double time plus minimum. All consumables, fuel, gas, oxy, rods, grinding wheels, etc...... get charged.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:do you itemize your consumables out tozzi?  all my consumables are included in hourly rate.  do you count your rods, or just have a minimum charge for lbs.  how do you measure and charge out your oxy/fuels, no one around here charges for these things seperately.  How would you measure and charge out on mig wire? grinding wheels?  I tried to do this on my first invoice and got burned at the stake by the customer, so I bumped my hourly rate up $10 per and figure my consumables in with my rateIn the field: '06 Ram 3500/Miller PP350    '14 F-350/Lincoln Classic 300DIn the shop: MM252, Hypertherm PM-85, White face MM200
Reply:I charge for it all, right on the bill, my rate is my labor, just that. After a while you know how much rod or wire you burned, grinding wheels and gas cost you money, so therefor they cost the customer money. Customer gets up my a$$ about what I charge or why I will stand tall and let them know why. Remember your customer won't do there work for nothing, why should you.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:On a side note, I have some customers that stock there shops for me, boxes of rod, torches at my disposal, steel etc.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:After the market crash a few years ago I had to reduce my hourly significantly as many of us surely have had to do.....but.....after crunching my numbers I kept my companies wages  where I could still grow,survive and be competitive in the new economy....$85-95 shop and $125 mobile.